Self-locking motor control



ZMELEZZ Fehn 18 M38. H. D. R. LANE SELF LOCKING MOTOR CONTROL Filed Feb. 15, 1935 ATTORNEYS.

INVENTOR, flame,

Patented F eb. 18, 1936 l UNITED STATES PAT OFFICE SELF-LOCKING MOTOR CONTROL City, Va.

Application February 13, 1935. Serial No. 6,369

6 claims.

This invention relates 'to a self-locking motor control.

An object of my invention is the provision of efiicient and simple means for preventing accitdental operation of the handle of a motor con- Another object of my invention is the construction of a handle device of a motor control, which will automatically cause a latch to be moved when the operator manipulates the handle, but when the handle is idle,'the latch will move to a locking position, whereby the handle cannot be accidentally moved or turned.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a vertical, central, sectional View of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention, while Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a top plan View of the device.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 44, Figure l, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a vertical, sectional view of the top part of the control box, showing in elevation the inside of the fixed section of the housing thereon.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the dog or latch and a portion of the motor-control shaft and the handle.

Figure '7 is an inverted perspective view-of the dog or latch.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, I designates the control box of any ordinary type in which is positioned the usual post or shaft 2. This shaft 2 projects above the top 3 of the control box I.

On the top 3 is a housing 4 which comprises a fixed section 5 and a hinged section 6; these sections are connected by hinge 1 (Fig. 4) A hasp 8 and lock 9 of any efficient type is used to prevent tampering or fraudulent examining of the interior of the housing.

The shaft 2 extends up into the housing 4, with its upper end It) bevelled, as shown in Fig. l. A handle H is provided on its inner end with a large socket l2. The upper bevelled end of shaft 2 extends into this socket I2 (Fig. 1). A bolt 13 extends through the socketed end of handle H and through shaft 2, pivotally connecting the handle to the shaft. On the inner socketed end of the handle is formed an integral lip Hi; this A lip projects outwardly over the finger 15, that extends upwardly from the inner end of the dog or latch It, which latch rests directly on the top 3 of the control box. This latch I6 is provided?" near its inner end with an elongated slot H, which permits the latch to pivot in a vertical plane and be loosely mounted upon the shaft 2; the end of the shaft in housing 4 is angular (Fig.

4), which prevents the loosely mounted latch l6" rotating upon shaft 2. On the under face of latch l6 and at its outer end it is bevelled at l8 (Fig. 7), so as to facilitate the outer end of latch l6 passing up the inclined groove Hi, from off the top 3. large pocket 20 having an overhanging shoulder 2 I. Normally the outer end of latch l6 will drop into this pocket and will be held therein if any portion of the latch is under shoulder 2|.

In operation when the motor is inactive, the

handle will be in the position shown, with the latch it in its locking position. By accidentally striking against the handle, the latch at its outer end will only move horizontally in pocket 20. To

officially operate the device, the operator grasps grip Ha, raises upwardly thereon, which causes the handle to pivot on bolt 13, moving lip l4 downwardly, forcing finger l5 outwardly, thereby lifting the outer bevelled end of latch Iii upwardly, to the top of pocket 20. Then by the operator exerting a rotary motion to the left, the latch will move down the inclined groove 19, and then will travel to the desired position for starting the motor. The handle cannot make a complete revolution for upon continued rotation of the same, the latch IE will move into groove 22 of the hinged section 6 and then into the socket or groove 23 of the fixed section 5 (Fig. 5); when the outer end of the latch I6 strikes the inner end of socket 23, it will stop rotary movement of the handle. Then by the operator reversing the rotary movement, he can cause the latch to eventually drop into the locking position, in pocket 2%.

I have found from practical experience with a working model that my device is very efficient. It is simple to operate and is positive in action. The handle acts as weighted, for upon the operator releasing same, it moves close to the top of housing which permits the latch to freely fall into its locking position in pocket 20. However, by the operator lifting up on the outer end of the handle, the latch can be quickly and easily moved from its locking position, for placing the At the inner end of groove l 9 (Fig. 5) is at.

motor control in an operative position, whereby the motor is allowed to start.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention and illustrated the same in the accompanying drawing, certain minor changes or alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates during the extensive manufacture of the same, and I, therefore, reserve the right to make such changes or alterations as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a control box, of a housing on top of said control box, a shaft extending into said housing, a latch in said housing and loosely mounted on said shaft, said housing provided in its side only with means for receiving part of said latch in a locked position or in an unlocked position, and a handle pivotally mounted on said shaft and engaging said latch for operating the same.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a control box provided with a top, of a housing on said top, said housing comprising a fixed and a hinged section, said fixed section provided with an inclined groove opening at its outer end level with the upper face of said top, said fixed section provided at the inner end of said inclined groove with a large pocket having an overhanging shoulder, said fixed section provided contiguous to said top with a horizontal socket, said hinged section provided with a groove registering with said horizontal socket, a shaft extending vertically into said top through said housing, said shaft being bevelled on its upper end, a latch provided with an elongated slot, said shaft extending through said slot, said latch provided with an upwardly and outwardly extending finger at its inner end, said latch being bevelled transversely on its inner face at its outer end, said latch adapted to travel over the top and having its bevelled portion rise easily up said inclined groove, said bevelled end adapted to rest in said large pocket and under said shoulder, a handle provided at itsv inner end with a large socket, said bevelled end of said shaft extending into said socket, whereby the handle can move upon said shaft, said handle provided with ahorizontal lip overhanging and engaging the finger of said latch, whereby vertical upward movement of the handle will cause vertical movement of the outer end of said latch, and a bolt extending through the socketed portion of said handle and said shaft for pivotally mounting the handle on said shaft, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a control box, of a housing on top of said control box, a shaft extending into said housing, a latch loosely mounted on said shaft and resting part of the time directly in contact with said control box, means on said housing for receiving said latch in a locking position, and a handle pivotally secured to the outer end of said shaft withinsaid housing and capable of operating said latch.

4.In a device of the class described, the combination with a control box, a housing on said control box, a shaft extending into said housing, of a latch movably mounted on said shaft, said housing being provided with a locking groovestructure in its side, said latch having one end always in said groove-structure for locking the latch or permitting same to be moved to an unlocked position, and a handle pivotally mounted d rectly on said shaft within said housing and engaging said latch for operating the same.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a control box, of a housing on said control box, said housing provided with a groovestructure including a locking pocket, a shaft ex tending into said housing, a latch movably mounted in said housing and having one end always seated in said groove-structure and adapted to be positioned in said pocket, and a handle carried by said shaft and cooperating with said,

latch for moving the same to a locked or unlocked position.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a control box, of a housing on said control box, said housing provided in a part ofv its vertical side walls with a cam-like groovehaving at one end a pocket and opening at its other end upon said control box, a latch in said housing and having a portion at all times in said camlike groove and adapted to be seated in said,

pocket, and a handle cooperating with said latch for moving the latch out of said pocket and along said groove and onto the top of the control box or vice versa.

HERALD D. R. LANE. 

